Time and Tide
by Righteous Llama
Summary: Katara's getting married to Zuko! Or is she? Post-war oneshot. THIS. IS. NOT. ZUTARA.


**A/N: just a lil story i came up with after reading the proverb "Time and tide wait for no man." PLEASE DO NOT FLAME!!**

**Ages**

**Aang: 20**

**Katara: 22**

**Mai: 23**

**Zuko: 24**

* * *

Time and Tide

_"Time and tide wait for no man." -- _Proverb

* * *

Ever since the first time he saw her, he knew he was in love.

_**Aang's**__ eyes fluttered open and he found himself staring into the face of what seemed like Heaven itself, in the form of a fourteen-year-old girl._

Yes, **Aang** truly felt like the luckiest boy alive to be best friends with **Katara**. She was everything he could ever want in a girl, and more. But as he watched her walk down the isle to **Zuko** and not him, he felt like his world was collapsing. Heck, ever since he heard (by Messenger Hawk) that **Katara** was engaged to **Zuko**, he felt like his world was collapsing.

_**I could've been there,**_ he thought angrily. _**I could've been there and proposed to her first! But **__**nooo**__**, I just **__**had**__** to take care of my duties as the Avatar! Stupid Avatar duties!**_

**Aang** sighed, remembering the words of the monks back at the Southern Air Temple when one of the boys had shown up late for training.

_"Time and tide wait for no man," said Monk Yuuhan wisely. "Take Kalen's late arrival as an example. If he came even five minutes later, he would've missed learning how to make a small tornado!"_

_"Yes, Monk Yuuhan," all the boys replied respectfully._

Just before she reached her fiancé, **Katara** glanced back, and her sapphire eyes met with **Aang's** gray ones. She smiled sadly at him before facing **Zuko**.

**Aang** didn't know it, but **Katara** was having the same inner conflict as him. She'd only agreed to marry **Zuko **because that was her duty. **Hakoda** and **Iroh** were the two constructors of this "master plan" of joining the two opposite elements by marriage.

When the time came for **Zuko** to say his "I do's", he hesitated for a moment, and then said, "I'm sorry, but…I just can't."

Over half the crowd gasped.

**Zuko** turned to **Katara**. "Listen," he said gently, "you're a good friend, but…I just don't love you." He looked to the side. "There's someone else."

**Katara** smiled. "I was going to say the same thing," she said.

**Aang** gaped.

**Zuko** grinned back at her, and turned to the Head Fire Sage who was supposed to be marrying them. "This wedding's off," he said. He walked into the crowd and stood in front of **Mai**. "Will you marry me?" he asked.

**Mai's** jaw dropped. After a moment, she threw herself at **Zuko** and cried, "Yes!"

Meanwhile, **Aang** was busy shoving his way through the crowd, trying to get to **Katara**. Finally he just gave up and jumped over the rest of the people in his way.

He landed before **Katara**. Reaching into one of his pockets, he felt his hand close around a familiar object. He fished it out and held it in his fist. It was a Water Tribe betrothal necklace that he'd made on his journeys around the world. **Aang** had decided, after hearing about **Katara** and **Zuko**, to keep it for good luck.

_**I guess it was lucky after all,**_ he thought.

"**Katara**," he said slowly, "will…will you marry me?" He held out the necklace.

Now it was **Katara's **turn to gasp. When she recovered, she said, "You know what they say: Time and tide waits for no man…"

**Aang** hung his head.

"…but sometimes, if you wait long enough, the tides can change," she finished, smiling. "I love you."

**Aang** looked up, and, grinning, tied the necklace around **Katara's** neck.

* * *

The next day was chaos. There were to be two weddings. First, **Mai** and **Zuko** would be married so **Zuko** could be crowned Fire Lord. Next, **Aang **and **Katara** would get married.

Everyone thought it seemed right for **Aang** to be with **Katara**. Even **Hakoda** and **Iroh**.

And this time, when they were exchanging vows, there weren't any regrets.

* * *

_"Time and tide wait for no man…but sometimes, if you wait long enough, the tides can change."_ -- Katara

* * *

**sooo, how did you like it? plz tell me! also, i don't really know why i put all the main character's names in bold. i just sort of...felt like it. SO THERE! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. You'd know if I did, cuz there would be 3 more seasons of it. I DON'T WANT IT TO END!!**


End file.
